Tom Prudens purple tomatoes

Elliot · July 1, 2012

We put out three Tom Prudens purple tomato plants. This is a first for us. Has anyone tried them in the past?How do they taste?

One problem we are seeing is that they are large plants and only the very top seem to be flowering.

**carolyn137** · July 1, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot

We put out three Tom Prudens purple tomato plants. This is a first for us. Has anyone tried them in the past?How do they taste?

One problem we are seeing is that they are large plants and only the very top seem to be flowering.

Prudens Purple IMO is an excellent variety. Large pink beefsteak fruits, lots of them, and the taste is great.

There was a lot of confusion when Pinetree starting listing it b'c they referred to it as an "early" Brandywine, but of course it wasn't Brandywine at all.

I don't know how large your PP plants are but I always sprawled my plants so couldn't tell you if the blossoms were at the top or bottom of the plant. All I know is that there were many of those blossoms that set fruit, which was good.

bcday · July 1, 2012

I've grown Prudens Purple but I never heard of "Tom Prudens" purple.

Did your seed packet maybe get labeled "Tom." as an abbreviation for tomato, followed by the variety name of Prudens Purple?

I can foresee future threads here asking if Prudens Purple and "Tom Prudens" Purple are the same variety.

My Prudens Purple did get to be large plants but the flowers and fruit were not all at the very top of the plant as you describe.

Mudman · July 1, 2012

One of the tops for me! Largest fruit of 2011, early, nice looking fruit and plant, and great tasting. Prudens Purple had locked in a permanent spot in my garden.

kath · July 1, 2012

Pruden's Purple has a spot in my garden this year for the first time. So far, at about 3', it's not among the tallest of its peers and it's far from having the most fruits. It has been pruned to 2 leaders and although it only set one fruit low on the plant it has about a half dozen set in the 30-36" area and lots of flowers now. It was recommended to me as one I might like, so I'm hoping I like the taste, too, Elliot.

kath

z_willus_d · July 1, 2012

I have an unpruned Pruden's Purple (seeds from Burpee) that's been pumping out a decent amount of fairly nice to great tasting 5ou to 1/2lb fruit. It's completely loaded with both blossoms and fruit and was setting a large ratio. It's been one of the more disease resistant heirlooms in my garden. In previous years, the tomatoes better resembled a standard BW fruit, being larger and more flat/oblate. I'm surprised to find these very round globes coming off the plant this year; correct "purple-pink" color with a larger number of fruits, but just not hitting the expected sizes. I'll definitely grow again, and again.
-naysen

July 1, 2012	#1
Elliot Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hicksville, New York Posts: 503	Tom Prudens purple tomatoes We put out three Tom Prudens purple tomato plants. This is a first for us. Has anyone tried them in the past?How do they taste? One problem we are seeing is that they are large plants and only the very top seem to be flowering.

July 1, 2012	#4
Mudman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NW Wisconsin Posts: 910	One of the tops for me! Largest fruit of 2011, early, nice looking fruit and plant, and great tasting. Prudens Purple had locked in a permanent spot in my garden. __________________ Mike

July 1, 2012	#3
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	I've grown Prudens Purple but I never heard of "Tom Prudens" purple. Did your seed packet maybe get labeled "Tom." as an abbreviation for tomato, followed by the variety name of Prudens Purple? I can foresee future threads here asking if Prudens Purple and "Tom Prudens" Purple are the same variety. My Prudens Purple did get to be large plants but the flowers and fruit were not all at the very top of the plant as you describe.

July 1, 2012	#5
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Pruden's Purple has a spot in my garden this year for the first time. So far, at about 3', it's not among the tallest of its peers and it's far from having the most fruits. It has been pruned to 2 leaders and although it only set one fruit low on the plant it has about a half dozen set in the 30-36" area and lots of flowers now. It was recommended to me as one I might like, so I'm hoping I like the taste, too, Elliot. kath

July 1, 2012	#6
z_willus_d Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Eastern Suburb of Sacramento, CA Posts: 1,313	I have an unpruned Pruden's Purple (seeds from Burpee) that's been pumping out a decent amount of fairly nice to great tasting 5ou to 1/2lb fruit. It's completely loaded with both blossoms and fruit and was setting a large ratio. It's been one of the more disease resistant heirlooms in my garden. In previous years, the tomatoes better resembled a standard BW fruit, being larger and more flat/oblate. I'm surprised to find these very round globes coming off the plant this year; correct "purple-pink" color with a larger number of fruits, but just not hitting the expected sizes. I'll definitely grow again, and again. -naysen